Air Guard to give plaques to 70,000 deployers

[unhappycamper]

Air Guard to give plaques to 70,000 deployers
Staff report
Posted : Wednesday Nov 26, 2008 19:15:24 EST

It’s not a medal, a ribbon or a check, but the Air National Guard intends to recognize 70,000 Air Guard members with individual plaques.

Chief Master Sgt. Richard Smith, command chief of the Air Guard, said the Air Guard’s Hometown Heroes Salute Campaign will recognize what could be more than 70,000 guardsmen who have deployed for more than 30 consecutive days since Sept. 11, 2001. Qualifying contingencies include operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and domestic missions like Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

“We have not properly recognized our airmen,” Smith told the Guard’s adjutants general, Air Guard commanders and command chief master sergeants during a recent senior leadership conference in Virginia.

Local units have done a great job recognizing groups who deployed, but some individual deployments have been shorted proper recognition, the command chief said.

Eligible Guard members will receive a cherry wood-encased letter of appreciation signed by Smith and former Air Guard director, Gen. Craig. R. McKinley, now head of the National Guard Bureau. Also enclosed in the frame will be a commemorative coin.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/11/airforce_airguard_plaque_112608w/%2e